There should be some magic in the air on this night, as Paddy Moloney, who founded the group in 1962, will return to the stage as a special (78-year-old) guest.

Over a career that now spans half a century — The Chieftains, whose name comes from the book “Death of a Chieftan & Other Stories” by Irish poet John Montague — have blended traditional Irish folk music with modern and international genres.